Easy Mocha Nut Butter (Gluten-free, Plant-based, Refined Sugar-free)

Easy Mocha Nut Butter blends the flavors of chocolate, coffee and nuts into one delectable spread. Ready in 10 minutes, this nut butter can be customized to your personal perfection!

How much?!

Sticker shock is a good way to describe the look on a person’s face who is purchasing a store-bought nut butter for the first time . . or second, or third . . . you get my point. Nut butters are an awesome addition to a healthy diet. They are loaded with plant-based protein, healthy fats and various vitamins and minerals depending on the type of nut. But they are very expensive!

Raw Cashews

Blended Cashews

It’s Worth It

Sometimes it’s worth the extra cost to buy items already prepared in the store. Time is money, and if it saves time it usually costs more money. In the case of nut butter, homemade is definitely cheaper and doesn’t really require much time or effort at all.

Mocha Nut Butter – Adding Coffee Beans and Hazelnut Meal

While blending these three ingredients you will need to stop and scrape the sides of the container.

Mocha Nut Butter – On Sides of Processor

After several minutes a very large ball will form. Don’t worry it’s part of the process. If you feel your processor is getting over heated it’s okay to stop and give it a rest. Then resume after a couple of minutes.

Mocha Nut Butter – Clumping in Large Ball Phase

Have It Your Way

Another benefit to making your own nut butter is the ability to customize it to your diet and palate. I love changing up my nut butters with all the fancy flavors out there, but unfortunately many of them add sugars or oils that I can’t or don’t want to consume.

My Easy Mocha Nut Butter allows you to do it your way! I used cashews for a base nut. but almonds would taste great too. If you are on an oil-free diet and don’t mind a thicker nut butter, then omit the added oil. Or if you are not the type of person that loves munching on coffee beans, reduce the amount or eliminate them completely. Salt and unrefined sugar (I used coconut nectar, but maple syrup could be substituted) add a little less, a little more or none at all! Your choice.

Mocha Nut Butter – Nut Butter Before Adding Cocoa Powder

Mocha Nut Butter – After Adding Cocoa Powder

Mocha Nut Butter – After Adding Oil

Easy Mocha Nut Butter

My favorite way to eat vegan nut butter is on a piece of gluten-free toast. The nutty flavored brownness of the toast combined with the coffee and chocolate flavors of the nut butter are amazing! I may or may not occasionally take a spoonful right out of the container. If that spoonful doesn’t find its way into my mouth this nut butter makes a great addition to a smoothie.

For a different spin on a nut butter smoothie recipe, check out my PB&J Smoothie. Or if you’re looking for another nut recipe try my Candied Pecans or Sweet & Spicy Ginger Nuts. If you use decaf coffee beans this would make a nice plant protein treat before bed too!

If you are new to making nut butter please be sure to look at the process photos in the post. This will assure you that you have not made a mistake when it takes on its many forms during the process.

See Notes section for substitution or elimination options

Making Basic Cashew Butter

1) Place raw cashews in food processor and blend, stopping and scraping sides as needed, until smooth, about six to eight minutes. If you feel your appliance is getting too warm it is okay to stop it for a few minutes and then continue.

2) Add sweetener, salt and oil if desired. Blend briefly to combine and taste to adjust if necessary.

Easy Mocha Nut Butter

1) Add raw cashews to food processor and blend until consistency of a nut meal (about 30 seconds, see pictures in post for all intervals).

2) Add hazelnut meal and coffee beans and blend until coffee beans are broken down. Pause and scrape sides of container when necessary. The mixture will progress into a large clump but further processing results in it breaking into smaller clumps and then ultimately butter.

3) Add cocoa powder, vanilla, coconut nectar, salt, and oil if desired. Blend briefly until combined. Taste and add more of any if desired. Store in air tight container in refrigerator for a few weeks.

Notes

Substitutions or Omissions

Cashews - Almonds may be substituted but will require a longer processing time. Macadamia nuts may also work very well with this recipe.

Hazelnut Meal - May be omitted, but I like it for the flavor dimension it adds.

Coffee beans - May be reduced in amount if a coffee bean flavor is not desirable or increased if you love eating coffee beans. I would probably not exceed 1/4 cup. Beans may also be omitted if a coffee flavor is not desired at all. Keep in mind that it will now be chocolate nut butter and not mocha.

Salt - May be omitted or increased by taste if desired.

Coconut Nectar - May be substituted with maple syrup or omitted if no sweetness is desired.

Walnut Oil - May be substituted with other mild flavor oil like grapeseed oil. Oil may be omitted if you don't mind a thicker nut butter.

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Hi Anne, I’m so glad you liked the Mocha Nut Butter recipe!! I have not received any other comments about the shade of the letters on the comment form being unreadable. I tried it myself and didn’t detect any problems. But I will keep an eye on it. Thanks for letting me know though. Perhaps it is a setting in your browser?